Five tips to grow your stock photography portfolio

There is no doubt about it. To sell more stock photos, and make more income from your agencies, the number one trick is to add more good photos to your portfolios.

In photography, it’s easy to get distracted by new gadgets and gear to buy. Most photographers I know have at least a few lenses or a new camera on their wish list.

Although it’s always fun to try out shiny new equipment, the truth is that being successful in stock photography isn’t about how much gear you have. It’s about taking and uploading LOTS of photos. Getting out there and shooting with the gear you already have.

But life happens. Sometimes the camera collects dust for a while. So here are my top 5 tips to get you back out there and start shooting:

1. Start a photography project. Pick a theme to shoot such as a specific color, shape, subject, etc. Doing this will give you something to focus on.

2. Schedule time to photograph. We all get busy, so intentionally setting aside time to photograph is the best way to make sure it really happens. Literally mark a day on your calendar as “shoot day,” and don’t book anything over it!

3. Learn the gear you have. If you only have one lens, get to know it really well. Too much gear can be a distraction. It’s much better to get really good with what you have.

4. Take your camera everywhere. Try challenging yourself to always carry your camera with you wherever you go. Just having it with you will probably cause you to slow down and notice possibilities for images you might otherwise have missed.

5. Challenge yourself to shoot something new. If you usually photograph landscapes, try shooting portraits. Or maybe action photography is new to you. Give it a try. There is a lot to be learned by pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

Remember, too, that you don’t have to be perfect. And you don’t always have to know what to shoot. Sometimes just taking your camera on a walk and playing with it can open you up to all sorts of ideas and possible new stock photos.

Stock photography is a numbers game. The more good photos you have, the more you’re likely to sell. So let’s aim to double our stock photo income this summer.

And just how are we going to do that?

I have just the thing… an extra little summertime challenge for you that I’ll tell you about next week. Stay tuned!

— Bonnie

Bonnie Caton Creator, Breakfast Stock Club

P.S. Another great way to stay motivated with photography is to become a Premium Member of Breakfast Stock Club. You’ll get monthly Challenges designed to push you… and reviews from a professional stock photographer to follow-up with you each month, too. Build your stock portfolio and start making more income from your photos, here.